Foundation garment



June 11, 1935.

K. E. CUNNINGHAM FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed March 28, 1933 llllllll II III III! 8 52 a ITNESSESI 27 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES T OFFKQE FOUNDATION GARMENT Application March 28, 1933, Serial No. 663,210

1 Claim.

This invention relates to foundation garments and has for an object to provide an improved construction wherein there is presented a brassiere structure and a corset structure merging slightly above the waistline with the parts so formed that each part will function in a desirable Way without objectionably affecting the other parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved foundation garment wherein the corset portion is provided with an arrangement of elastic panels and gcres whereby a desirable spreading action is permitted when the person wearing the garment bends or sits down.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a foundation garment means substantially at the waistline for bracing the back and at the same time producing a desired tension at the front of the garment in a way to hold the brassiere in proper operating position and also to cause the corset portion to efficiently support the front part of the body.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a foundation garment disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being shown on a figure;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the garment shown in Figure l, the same being illustrated on a figure;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the foundation garment spread out;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View through Figure 3, on the line ii-4.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals, I indicates the corset or corset body, and 2 the brassiere which merges into the corset body substantially at the waistline. The corset body is provided with a front 3 and a back 6. The front 3 is formed from front side panels 5 and 6 and a central panel 7 which tapers substantially from the waistline to the bottom of the garment and is constricted above the waistline and merges into the brassiere. The extension 8 of the front 1 acts to hold the breast pockets 9 and Ill properly in place and in a way to properly function for supporting the breasts when the garment is in use. The front side panels 5 and t are also provided with the brassiere extensions H and I2, to which the breast pockets are secured. It will be understood that the breast pockets are secured along their sides and bottom edges so that a pull on the corset body at the waistline will also give a desired tension to this part of the brassiere.

The front side sections 5 and 6 at the lower ends are provided with chamfered edges l3 and I4 which with the tapering of the section 1 presents gore-shaped openings in which the elastic members l5 and l t are positioned. This gives a yielding action to the front, though ordinarily these parts are so proportioned as to contract the front and bow the same inwardly when the corset is upright as illustrated in Figure 1. However, when the person wearing the corset sits down, this part will spread and in addition the side elastic panels El and it will also spread or yield resiliently. All of these elastic panels taken with the front 3 and rear 4, act to mold the parts of the body arranged adjacent thereto, and yet by the arrangement just described present a structure which will yield when necessary. The rear 4 is provided with any desired number of reinforcing members i 8 which may be in the nature of ordinary stays and pockets, said stays and pockets extending from the bottom to the top of the corset body.

The corset body extends slightly above the waistline which line is approximately centrally of the strap 26. The rear section 2| of the brassiere 2 is connected to the top edge ofthe rear 4 and together with the front part of. the brassiere is supported by desirable shoulder straps 22 and 23. The strap 29 is made of some strong piece of cloth and is held permanently at the rear 4 by stitching 24. This stitching is arranged so that the strap has free tabs or ends 25 and 26. To these free ends are arranged elastic members 27 and 2B. The elastic structure 28 is connected to the front side panels 6 by a line of stitching 28 while the elastic member 28 is connected by lines of stitching 38 to the edge panel 3| which edge panel carries loops or other form of disengageable fastening means 32. The edge of panel 5 also carries disengageable fastening means which are adapted to interlock with the fastening means 32. These fastening means may be of any desired kind, as, for instance, ordinary hooks and eyes. It will be noted that the garment is open at the side from the top to the bottom and is, in effect, a wraparound structure, but by reason of the various elastic members set forth, including members 21 and 28, a snug fit is secured which will not be uncomfortable but which will mold the body somewhat and by reason of. the strap 20 the elastic members 21 and 28 and associated parts will produce a desired tension on the front of the garment, said tension being transmitted to the center of the rear of the garment substantially at the waistline.

I claim:

A foundation garment including a corset body and a brassiere having breast pockets, said brassiere merging into the top of the corset body,

' 5 said corset body and brassiere being open from top to bottom along one side, said corset body having a substantially inelastic front, an inelastic back and a pair of elastic side panels extending from the top to the bottom of the corset body, 

